Several weeks past the equinox, the northern spring constellation of Boötes, the herdsman, is rising to prominence in the eastern sky after dusk.
The chart shows the view looking east from London at 21.00 BST on 6 April, although the view will be essentially unchanged all week. By this time, the darkness will be complete and the constellation’s brightest star, Arcturus, will be shining brightly.
The easiest way to find the constellation is to begin with the familiar shape of the Plough and follow the curve of its handle downwards in an arc until you arrive at the orange glow of Arcturus, the fourth-brightest star in the night sky.
Boötes is one of the original 48 constellations defined by Ptolemy in the second century. However, its origins stretch back thousands more years to ancient Babylon, where the constellation was associated with the god Enlil, who was said to have separated heaven from Earth and made the world habitable.
In Greek tradition, Boötes is most often identified as a herdsman or a ploughman. There are numerous mythic tales associated with him; he functions as some kind of protector of rural life in nearly all.
At this time of year in the northern hemisphere, Boötes rises during twilight, becoming well placed for observation by late evening.
From the southern hemisphere, Boötes appears low in the northern sky.
